Marine Times removed from prominent base newsstands

The Marine Corps Times has been removed from prominent newsstand locations at base exchange stores in an apparent retribution against the independent newspaper.

The Marines have also prohibited commands from using operations and maintenance funds to purchase subscriptions to the Marine Times, according to the paper.

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The newspaper has reported stories critical of Marine Commandant Gen. James Amos’s role in the 2012 cases of Marines urinating on Taliban corpses, but spokesman from the commandant’s office did not answer questions from the Marine Times about whether Amos approved the new directive.

A source told the Marine Times that Amos signed off on the move, however.

“It is no secret [in the Pentagon] that the commandant does not like Marine Corps Times,” the source said.

A spokeswoman for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, which oversees the base stores, said the paper was moved to “professionalize” the front of the exchanges.